9781422286173

LET’S EXPLORE THE STATES

Rocky Mountain Colorado Utah Wyoming

Dan Harvey

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D

Broomall, PA 19008 www.masoncrest.com ©2016 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and

retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. Printed and bound in the United States of America. CPSIA Compliance Information: Batch #LES2015. For further information, contact Mason Crest at 1-866-MCP-Book. First printing 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Harvey, Dan, 1954- Rocky Mountain : Colorado, Utah, Wyoming / Dan Harvey. pages cm. — (Let’s explore the states) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4222-3332-0 (hc) ISBN 978-1-4222-8617-3 (ebook) 1. West (U.S.)—Juvenile literature. 2. Colorado—Juvenile literature. 3. Utah—Juvenile literature. 4. Wyoming (U.S.)—Juvenile literature. I. Title. F591.H275 2015 978—dc23 2014050187

Let’s Explore the States series ISBN: 978-1-4222-3319-1

Publisher’s Note: Websites listed in this book were active at the time of publication. The publisher is not responsible for websites that have changed their address or discontinued operation since the date of publication. The publisher reviews and updates the websites each time the book is reprinted. About the Author: Dan Harvey is a freelance writer based in Wilmington, Delaware. He has won six national journalism awards and is the author of several books. He is a frequent contributor to national magazines focused on medical technology, industrial technology, business, current events and history. Picture Credits: Library of Congress: 22 (right; top left), 34, 40 (top), 57; Montana Historical Society: 51; National Aeronautics and Space Administration: 22 (bottom left); National Archives: 14, 35, 53, 54; used under license from Shutterstock, Inc.: 1, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, 19, 23, 26, 29, 30, 33, 36 (top), 37, 38, 41, 42, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 52, 55, 61; S. Bukley / Shutterstock.com: 40 (bottom); LJH Images / Shutterstock.com: 20; Marcin Moryc / Shutterstock.com: 21; U.S. Air Force photo: 58; U.S. State Department photo: 36 (bottom).

Table of Contents Colorado....................................................................7 Colorado at a Glance, 6; Geography, 7; History, 12; Government, 18; The Economy, 19; The People, 21; Major Cities, 23; additional resources, 25. Utah ........................................................................27 Utah at a Glance, 26; Geography, 27; History, 31; Government, 36; The Economy, 37; The People, 39; Major Cities, 41; additional resources, 42–43. Wyoming ................................................................45

Wyoming at a Glance, 44; Geography, 45; History, 50; Government, 56; The Economy, 59; The People, 60; Major Cities, 60; additional resources, 62.

Index ......................................................................63 Series Glossary ........................................................64

LET’S EXPLORE THE STATES

Atlantic: North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia Central Mississippi River Basin: Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri

East South-Central States: Kentucky, Tennessee Eastern Great Lakes: Indiana, Michigan, Ohio

Gulf States: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi Lower Atlantic: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina Lower Plains: Kansas, Nebraska Mid-Atlantic: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland Non-Continental: Alaska, Hawaii Northern New England: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont Northeast: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania Northwest: Idaho, Oregon, Washington Rocky Mountain: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming Southern New England: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island Southwest: New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas U.S. Territories and Possessions Upper Plains: Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota The West: Arizona, California, Nevada Western Great Lakes: Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin

Colorado at a Glance

Area: 104,094 sq miles (269,602 sq km). 8th largest state 1 Land: 103,641 sq mi (268,429 sq km) Water: 454 sq mi (1,176 sq km) Highest elevation: Mount Elbert, 14,433 feet (4,399 m) Lowest elevation: Arkansas River, 3,315 feet (1,010 m)

State nickname: the Centennial State State bird: lark bunting State flower: alpine columbine

Statehood: August 1, 1876 (38th state) Capital: Denver

1 U.S. Census Bureau 2 U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 estimate

Pop.: 5,355,866 (22nd largest state) 2

T he natural beauty of Colorado seems to inspire artistic expression. In 1972, singer John Denver released a song about the state called “Rocky Mountain High.” The hit record served as a celebration of Colorado’s natural wonders, and became one of the state’s official songs in 2007. The inspiration for this song is understandable to anyone who has ever lived in or visited Colorado. The word Colorado means “colored red.” During the 18th cen- tury, Spanish explorers observed that a river coursing from the mountains had a reddish tint due to silt. That river became known as the Colorado River, and the surrounding area became known as Colorado. Geography Colorado

By area, Colorado is the eighth-largest of the 50 U.S. states, covering 104,094 square miles (269,602 square kilometers). While Colorado is best known for its mountains, the state has many diverse geographic fea- tures and regions, including plains, desert,

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Rocky Mountain: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming

with a unique tourist attraction: With the “Four Corners” borders, and with strategic feet placement, it is possible for a visitor to stand in four states at the same time. Colorado is noted for its high ele- vation. Its capital city Denver is called the “Mile High City,” due to its eleva- tion 5,280 feet (1,609 m) above sea level. To the city’s left is a mountain- ous territory that boasts high-rising

plateaus , buttes , and forests. When you look at Colorado on a map, you see an almost-perfect rec- tangular shape. One of its corners is part of the famous “Four Corners,” meaning that it meets a common geo- graphic location with Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. This corner is con- sidered the heart of the “American Southwest.” This geographic place- ment provides the state of Colorado

Words to Understand in This Chapter

butte— an isolated high hill with a flat top and very steep sides that is usually found in the southwestern region of the United States. climate— relating to the prevailing weather conditions (temperature, precipitation, storm patterns) in a specific geographic area. ecologic— pertaining to ecology, or the relationship between organisms and their environment and how natural forces affect this relationship. extinct— no longer in existence. foothills— low hills that are situated at the base of higher geographic terrain such as mountains. hub— a center of business activity in a region. plateau— a large, flat area of land that rises higher than the surrounding areas. pueblo— a communal structure, where many people lived, erected by agriculture-based Native American tribes in the southwest.

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Rocky Mountain: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming

Buffalo graze on the grassy high plains of Colorado.

Pine forests and snow-capped mountain peaks can be seen at Boreas Pass.

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Rocky Mountain: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming

extends from Western Canada and down into New Mexico—is Colorado’s Mount Elbert, which measures 14,433 feet (4,399 m) high. However, the state’s terrain isn’t all about majestic height. Its mountains dwarf a wide, flat expanse: the state’s eastern portion which encompasses almost one half of its total area. This portion is part of the High Plains,

peaks with heights that give Colorado the highest mean elevation in the United States. Many of the peaks rise more than 10,000 feet (3,050 m) above sea level. One of the highest is Pikes Peak, at 14,115 feet (4,302 m). This peak was named in 1806 for its discoverer, Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike. But the highest peak in all of the Rocky Mountains range—which

Red iron peaks are reflected in a high mountain lake off the San Juan Skyway.

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Rocky Mountain: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming

which is a significant portion of the Great Plains. In this lower-elevation territory, farmlands form an agrarian patchwork quilt of fields filled with corn, hay, oats, soybeans and wheat. Some farmers in this region also raise livestock. The state’s lowest point is found in this eastern area, where the Arikaree River flows from Yuma County, Colorado and into Cheyenne County, Kansas. The Central portion of the state is where the Rocky Mountains begin to rise from the landscape, starting with foothills . The mountainous territory, which runs from north to south, includes the easterly Front Range and the westerly Park Range. The area also includes the Continental Divide, which extends along the crest of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado’s “Western Slope.” Moving to the western portion of the state, on the other side of the mountains, visitors can find the Colorado Plateau. Also in this region is the Grand Valley, which is charac- terized by its desert terrain. Because of its natural splendor,

Did You Know?

The players on Major League Baseball teams that face the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in downtown Denver often complain of shortness of breath due to the city’s high elevation.

Colorado is the home of several major national parks. These include the Gunnison National Park, the Mesa Verde National Park, and the Rocky Mountain National Park. The Colorado River originates in Rocky Mountain National Park. Water flows abundantly through- out Colorado. Because of its size, the state boasts four major rivers includ- ing the Colorado River, the Rio Grande, the South Platte, and the Arkansas River. Due to its diverse geography, Colorado has a complex climate . The mountains, plains and deserts can sig- nificantly affect local weather condi- tions. In general, winters in Colorado can be very cold and snowy, especially

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Rocky Mountain: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming

characterized by rocky hills, canyons and desert. They may experience a sense of pre-history; time seems to stand still. This is appropriate, as the area is home of the state’s famous Dinosaur National Monument in the northwest corner, near its border with Utah, where many fossils have been discovered. The area that eventually became the state of Colorado was home to dinosaurs. Leaving footprint and bone behind were ferocious meat eaters such as the Allosaurus and Torvosuarus, as well as the Stegosaurus and the large sauropods Apatosaurus and Amphicoelias. Long after the extinction of the dinosaurs, humans from Asia known as Paleo-Indians arrived in North America. Anthropologists have deter- mined that the Colorado region was inhabited by Native Americans rough- ly 13,000 years ago. Many of these early inhabitants were cliff dwellers that built pueblo -style homes. Within gaping cliff canyons, inhabitants used local materials, such as rock and adobe mud, to build high-rise homes

in the mountainous areas. Summers tend to be rather pleasant, with warm days and cool nights. Average annual rainfall is about 16.6 inches through- out the state. Record temperature highs and lows vary according to region, so that the average annual temperature ranges from 15° Fahrenheit (–9° Celsius) to 88°F (31°C). Snowfall is highest in the moun- tainous areas. Denver, which is the state’s most populous city and is close to the Rocky Mountains, records an average annual snowfall of 60 inches (152 cm). This much snow creates problems for Denver’s citizens, block- ing roadways and closing airports. As late as June, travelers driving on Interstate 25 near Denver can experi- ence heavy hail storms that leave the roadway and surrounding ground cov- ered with white ice that resembles snow. History When visitors travel into the north- western portion of Colorado, they enter a sparsely populated region

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Rocky Mountain: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming

region for Spain in 1706. During the 18th century, the rights to Colorado passed from Spain to France in 1740, then back to Spain in 1763, and finally back to France in 1800. During this time there were few Europeans in the region. The only ones were fur trappers and hunters who dealt with the Native Americans that lived in the region. In 1803, the United States pur- chased the vast Louisiana territory from France, which included the northern part of Colorado. The Louisiana Purchase substantially increased U.S. territory, and at a rela-

that protected them from the harsh environment and animal predators. Meanwhile, an area located on the eastern portion of the Rocky Mountains served as an important migration route. From these early inhabitants arose Native American tribes such as the Utes, Apaches, and Comanche, among others. During the 16th century, the first Europeans arrived in the Colorado region. In the early 1540s, the Spanish conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led an expedition through the American southwest. Juan de Ulibarri later claimed the Colorado

A dinosaur fossil preserved in sedimentary rock that dates from the Upper Jurassic period, roughly 150 million years ago. Many fossils have been found in a rock formation known as the Morrison Formation, which is located in Colorado and Wyoming.

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Rocky Mountain: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming

Two miners in their camp on King Solomon Mountain in Colorado, circa 1875. A series of gold discoveries during the 19th century drew thousands of peo- ple to the Colorado Territory.

had only established the most basic foot paths, but their efforts led to the eventual creation of roads and railway routes that would lead to settlement and economic development. During 1858 and 1859, many peo- ple came to Colorado when gold and silver were discovered near what is now the city of Denver. As the popula- tion grew, the U.S. government decid- ed to organize Colorado as a U.S. ter- ritory. In February 1861, U.S. President James Buchanan signed a congressional act that created the Territory of Colorado.

tively low price. The transaction only cost about $15 million, which equalled about four cents per acre. The U.S. gained the remainder of Colorado in the 1840s, after Texas became a state. After the Mexican-American War, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo granted all rights to the region to the U.S. When the United States gained possession of this territory, the U.S. government commissioned expedi- tions to Colorado, with a focus on developing the routes that had been established by the early trappers and fur traders. These “mountain men”